into the unknown
by Storytellerjuliet
Summary: Being the daughter of a former doctor of the plague of a sorceress in Vesuvia is nothing but pure normality, a monotonous normality for Cassandra Devorak, the eldest daughter of Julian and Isadora Devorak. But the call of the unknown is close to the hearts of the Devoraks, his father and mother know this even though she does not know it. They hear it too. Following the traces of th


The thin fingers of Isadora Devorak, commonly known by now as the doctor's wife, passed smoothly and delicately over the small unmarked strokes of the little face that had come into the world since the past three minutes and twenty-five seconds, and Isadora knew she would never forget the stinging pain that gave birth to that little miracle had involved: tight squeezes to contract the muscles of her stomach, gasping breaths and exhausted sobs. It was worth it.

Cassandra, the baby girl, slept after crying at the edge of her tiny lungs. For a moment the new parents had panicked and Isadora had startes cradling her daughter shyly in her arms making her stop crying after a while. Julian's shoulders had relaxed when she calmed down and breathed a sigh of relief.

"it's incredible." the new mother had murmured "we created her ..." Julian was leaning next to his wife in their double bed, their torso leaning towards her and one arm resting on the head of the bed allowing Isadora to lean on it. He giggled softly and extended his slender forefinger to his daughter's face, caressing her still red face. Cassandra made a sound of annoyance and her fist tightened around Julian's finger, Isadora felt her daughter's father startle surprised by that little grip "...are you seeing it, Isa?" He murmured. Isadora looked at the look of complete amazement on Julian's face, as his eyes filled with pure love for that tiny being he had helped to create. Her heart was softened by the same love she had felt after seeing beyond the mask the t who was her husband had worn so long ago "hold her in her arms." he said finally, with imperative but also soft as a cloud. Julian's gray eyes widened "are you sure?" she asked in a trembling voice "and if ... and if I hurt her by mistake? And if she fell from my arms? And if she didn't like me - **_a-ah! Isadora, wait! I'm not-_**" that swirl of insecurities had just a way to be stopped, and his wife knew him well. Act before he could finish speaking. Then he had quietly but firmly put his daughter in his arms, and felt them stiffen in contact with the little body of the newborn. "here you go, dad." she said, gently guiding him on how to hold her in her arms; he placed the baby's soft head on the crook of Julian's arm, guiding his right hand to support Cassandra's little body, and his left hand tattooed with a sign of a crime that her husband hadn't committed to caressing the little girl's head ... .and that tiny skull seemed even smaller against his big hand.

Julian Devorak didn't move an inch of his whole body, as if petrified. Isadora could barely make out the movement of his broad chest rising and falling to the rhythm of hid breathing, slow and steady almost for fear of awakening their child. Isadora put both her hands on his shoulders and realized how tense they were "... Julian, relax." She said in a loving whisper "look at her. She's your daughter, she's here and she is healthy ... we're a family now." Slowly the tension eased and Julian was spellbound watching his daughter. Cassandra had yawned in the meantime, so her small thin lips were half open. But Julian's heart accelerated when the smooth skin of the baby's cheek rested on the part of the chest he had left bare-chested just before he took her in his arms: Julian knew that it was customary to do so for the child to know the scent of his parents . Behind his tuft of copper-colored hair, Isadora could see her husband's eyes sparkle with tears. Having gained confidence, he held her with one arm only because he had to use his other hand to cover up an emotional sob that was running away from his lips. Isadora looked at him worriedly, then relaxed as she saw that behind her hand was an excited, happy smile.

"Hi Cassandra... it's your _papa_.." he murmured softly, his usually raspy and sure voice faltered with a slight laugh in the midst of a sob. Julian's hooked nose leaned against the little girl's forehead, and at that moment Isadora realized that at that moment Julian Ilya Devorak had finally become the man he should have been from the beginning. A happy man.


End file.
